Gift Giving

I love giving gifts. I love thinking about the perfect gift for the recipient and then finding or making it. I also love wrapping gifts and being there when the recipient opens the gift I've picked out.

Over on Gourmet Goddess, a blog I enjoy, there was a discussion the other day of gift giving and how Heather (Gourmet Goddess) is unhappy with Christmas shopping this year. It seems her family has put a moratorium on one of her favorite aspects of the holiday by requiring everyone to purchase a generic gift under $15 for someone of their same sex. And then on Christmas Day, everyone will choose from the appropriate gift pile. Heather is unhappy because she doesn't know where to begin with buying a generic gift and would much rather give a meaningful, personal gift, even if under $15.

That got me to thinking about gift giving under $15 or $20 and both what I might like to receive and give. So here's the start of a list of gifts I'd like to receive or give (many of which I've actually given):

• A framed photo of a special memory
• Homemade anything
• A hand-made book of favorite recipes of a close friend who is a great cook, maybe with all the ingredients for one
• A scrapbook of a family vacation or girlfriend weekend
• A homemade Christmas ornament or an ornament signifying something special in my life
• A beautiful journal and pen
• A book by my favorite author (preferably one I don't have) and hopefully signed
• A collection of holiday, birthday, get well, congratulations, sympathy, thinking of you, etc. cards
• Cozy, fuzzy slippers
• A subscription to Ms. or Utne Reader or National Geographic magazines
• A handwritten collection of favorite memories (maybe a group could go in on this and each person write one and then have it bound)
• A handwritten letter telling the recipient how much they mean to me and the impact they've had on my life
• Time (not the magazine, but some specially carved out time to spend with someone special)
• Lavender linen spray
• Relaxation or Meditation CD
• A book of motivational/inspirational quotes
• The book "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff, and It's All Small Stuff" by Richard Carlson
• The book "How to Be Like Women of Influence: Life Lessons by 20 of the Greatest" by Pat Williams, et al.

My all time favorite gift is one that Dave gave me for my 21st birthday, as he graduated from high school. As a project for one of his art classes, he made me a silver pendant of two people standing together. He then wrote a paper for one of his English classes explaining the meaning of this particular piece. He described how the piece signifies the two of us because we've always been there for each other and I played such a significant role in his life growing up when our mom couldn't. I remember reading the English paper for the first time and the emotions it brought up in me. I cherish that piece of jewelry like it's the finest treasure in the world because to me, it is. Gifts don't have to cost anything to be meaningful.

That's about all I can think of now. Please add your own ideas in the comments section.

UPDATE - December 15th:

I came home this afternoon to discover that one of my neighbors shoveled my driveway, which in my rush to get to my 9:30am client, I didn't have time to do! This is a gift I always appreciate!

Over on Lively Librarian, Shannon suggests that customized stationary would be a great gift and I wholeheartedly agree!